Album Review

There was a point in the late ‘80s, when "melodic metal" basically meant pop bands hiding behind a pretty boy frontman, big hair, and a few metal-y riffs — case in point, Poison, Winger, Warrant, etc. But a few years earlier, melodic metal still had some, well, cajones — including the oft-overlooked Killer Dwarfs. Rising up through the same Canadian metal scene that had also spawned Anvil and Helix a few years before, early on the band could perhaps be compared to a Judas Priest/Iron Maiden/Saxon hybrid that also managed to have its eye on mainstream radio. And certainly one of their better releases was their 1983 self-titled debut. The band had no problem putting the pedal to the metal on such rockers as "Are You Ready" and "Prisoner," but it's on the less intense material that the group showed the most promise ("Drifter," "Fire in Your Eyes"). And as with quite a lot of bands from this era, the Killer Dwarfs just couldn't resist including a ditty titled after their favorite rock music style, "Heavy Metal Breakdown." To borrow a phrase from the great Terry Malloy, Killer Dwarfs "coulda been a contendah," as evidenced by their debut offering.

Customer Reviews

dirty weapons

by
wally the redskin

When the hell is "dirty weapons" going to be on this thing?

What the.....

by
Clemfloyd

Exactly, when will Dirty Weapons find it's way onto iTunes? The bands best known single and it is no where to be found.

Tell Me Please

by
magco

The Killer Dwarfs are a great 80's band. i-Tunes needs to get the song Tell Me Please on here. Awesome song from one of there best albums!!!!!!

Biography

Formed: 1982 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Genre: Rock

Years Active: '80s, '90s, '00s

The Killer Dwarfs performed a style of music that can be labeled something like pop meets metal meets arena rock. The Juno-winning group formed in 1982 in Ontario, Canada. Members included lead singer Russell Graham; drummer and singer Darrell Millar; guitarists Bryce Trewin, Gerry Finn, and Mike Hall; and bassists Angelo "Ange" Fodero and "Bad" Ronald Mayer. During the '80s and '90s, the Killer Dwarfs recorded a number of singles and albums, working under labels like...